The news came late Wednesday night via Twitter first (where else would it come from these days?). Another microfracture surgery scheduled for Friday morning, it ought to be the 13th for Trail Blazers fans, Oden and the organization that cheered his arrival four years ago like the championship banner was strictly a matter of when and not if.

We’re talking about a 22-year-old behemoth with three season-ending knee surgeries in four years people — THREE in FOUR YEARS. Let that marinate for a second and then realize what a devastating blow this has to be to all involved.

The recovery time for microfracture surgery is anywhere from six to 12 months. That means Oden’s next step might not come until January of 2012 or later. He’s done in Portland. And I know the organization will stick by him through his rehabilitation, as they should. But beyond that, they owe him nothing.

They’ve paid him close to $20 million for a grand total of 82 games of actual work. The rest of the time he’s spent in the training and operating room. That’s just the facts.

If you invest $20 million in a project in the business world and it goes awry, you don’t keep pouring money into the project. You cut your losses and move on to the next venture.

Oden will get another shot at this. If Michael Olowokandi, Kwame Brown and Darko Milicic all got second, third and even fourth chances, Oden will play basketball for someone in the NBA if he wants to. That much is up to him.

But the Trail Blazers have to move on. Trying to patch up the gentle giant and march him out there in those Rip City colors one more time is a scene we have no interest in viewing.

The organization has done this before. They’ve moved on from the pain and disappointment of a 7-foot savior (Sam Bowie) that couldn’t stay healthy long enough to come to their rescue. John Canzano of the Oregonian explains:

When the Blazers eventually gave up on Bowie all those years ago, and decided to move forward by trading the oft-injured center to New Jersey, they weren’t simply giving up. They were announcing that they were going to battle through the adversity and attempt to do what the rest of the high-level competition in the league does.

The player they got in return: Buck Williams.

Think on that today. Because it was Williams who became an anchor on a team that played in two NBA Finals. And the Blazers picked themselves up and moved forward instead of wallowing in their misery.

Maybe it’s fitting that the marketing people at One Center Court shifted the message earlier this week. Gone was the “Rise With Us,” stuff and in its place was a single, six-letter word that should be plastered across the minds of everyone in this city today.

It is this: Battle.

There are things worth fighting for in life. The love of your life. Your children. Your home. Men do courageous and righteous things in the name of honor – and they should. And so there is an opportunity just below the surface in this Oden mess.

I’m not sure that a Paul Allen-owned team will ever win a championship. But I’m convinced that what needs to be done here is obvious. Enough sitting around, waiting for Brandon Roy to be healthy and for Oden to make a miracle recovery.

It’s time to battle, not on the court, but in the front office via trade and free agency, where the Blazers have been a non-factor. It’s Cho-time. And it’s high time Allen proved that he’s willing to do what he needs to do to make the organization whole again.

This Oden thing is done. Close the door. But I’m hopeful the Blazers know what needs to be done next.

If the Blazers don’t know, we’ll help.

It’s time to move on.

For the sake of Oden, the organization and the fans, it’s time to move on.

Alright the man is injury prone with what seems to be “old man’s disease” lol. If we look back in recent history though there is a team that can turn this around for him. Just like they did with Shaq and Grant Hill I think the Suns training staff (best in the league followed closely by the spursSpurs in my opinion) can REBUILD HIM. Before we give up on this guy completely consider him a new project for either of those two teams known for bringing broken players back to beast levels!!

I think that was you, Sekou Smith, who already said Carmelo Anthony had clearly said he wanted out ouf Denver, when he never did in the video you attached to your article.
Here, what do you do? You call the NBA community to push the Blazers to get rid of Greg Oden. Aren´t you ashamed?
It´s just like going in front of a building full of companies and saying such company should fire this guy because he´s been sic too often.
Some respect man! Greg Oden is a good player, hard working guy. Portland managers will decide what they decide.
It´s people like you who put Iverson out of the league. Talk too much without respect of the persons.

Do not make any mistake about it… if it where 2007, their is no doubt that 80% of the G.M’s would have picked the manchild over Durant. It was known in 2007 that Oden was the #1 pick for most of all teams. Durant… their is no comparison. Durant is a superstar, and is a much better player today than greg. But… it’s about championships. At the end of both Greg and Kevin careers, it’s about who has more rings. Kevin may win a ring or two… but don’t count the 7ft manchild out. if he comes back, it’s because he wants to be a superstar. with the gifts oden has… their is no reason not to think that Oden may be the anchor for multiple rings. But yes… Durant is the better choice. And is a top 5 player today. Goodluck Greg, it’s up too you to come back and show the world.. that you are The Greg Oden, The #1 pick, A physical specimen.

to all you people who think they know sports… i am not the Oden guy. But this is based on facts. Greg Oden is not a bust, you cannot possibly say he is a bust. A bust is a guy who was drafted #1 and in no way lived up to his potentail. It has been 4 years, and greg played 82 games total. The games that he did play.. he looked dominant, he was putting up 20 and 10 many games in a row. than he was injured again. You cannot call a player who has been pleagued with injuries a bust, because we don’t know what he is as a player. being hit with injurries does not mean your a bust, playing 4 seaons and not putting up numbers makes you a bust. he was putting up great numbers. Greg is a PHYSICAL SPECIMEN! He has a 75% to 80% chance of full recovery. his first microfracture knee is stronger than ever, and as will his next knee be. KENYON MARTIN proved that you can come back from two micro surgeries. Kenyon was looking great. imagine a man child like Greg, if he wants to be a superstar… it’s up too him. it’s mental not physical. Oden can come back, and if he does.. it’s because he found his love for the game, and in that case… Oden has the potential to be a top 3 center in the NBA. guranteed.

whats so sad about greg odens situation is that its probably not his fault. The blame should fall solely on the athletic training staff of the portland trail blazers. His condition is completely fixable but they have absolutely no clue what they are doing. I could do a better job and I am a freshman in college.

Hope the Blazers will keep him, because Oden will do anything to prove himself. Anyone who would’ve picked Durant over Oden isn’t thinking clearly. Would anyone pick Durant, Jordan, Bryant, James or Wade over Shaq or Duncan? There’s no way any team would’ve chosen a sg or sf before a dominating, very talented big man. After seeing everyone’s career, I still would chose Shaq over anyone I mentioned because of the most potential 2 win a ring.

Do not make any mistake about it… if it where 2007, their is no doubt that 80% of the G.M’s would have picked the manchild over Durant. It was known in 2007 that Oden was the #1 pick for most of all teams. Durant… their is no comparison. Durant is a superstar, and is a much better player today than greg. But… it’s about championships. At the end of both Greg and Kevin careers, it’s about who has more rings. Kevin may win a ring or two… but don’t count the 7ft manchild out. if he comes back, it’s because he wants to be a superstar. with the gifts oden has… their is no reason not to think that Oden may be the anchor for multiple rings. But yes… Durant is the better choice. And is a top 5 player today. Goodluck Greg, it’s up too you to come back and show the world.. that you are The Greg Oden, The #1 pick, A physical specimen.

Come on NBA fans stop being thick headed.Greg Oden is a bust.Dont use injuries to cover up being a bust.Grant Hill displayed great stats in Detroit before his injuries in Orlando.Tracy McGrady(T-Mac) signs of greatness before his many injuries.Like one guy wrote he Greg hasnt done any thing yet!!! Heck if he can get a season of atleast 60 games or more 15 points 10 rebounds a game.I would gladly take back this post.Oh yeah and one more thing!!! If people have decent memory.Greg only did a draft workout with only one team Portland and didnt want to workout with any other teams.I’ll admit I too was fooled by the hype behind the mega bust.

to all you people who think they know sports… i am not the Oden guy. But this is based on facts. Greg Oden is not a bust, you cannot possibly say he is a bust. A bust is a guy who was drafted #1 and in no way lived up to his potentail. It has been 4 years, and greg played 82 games total. The games that he did play.. he looked dominant, he was putting up 20 and 10 many games in a row. than he was injured again. You cannot call a player who has been pleagued with injuries a bust, because we don’t know what he is as a player. being hit with injurries does not mean your a bust, playing 4 seaons and not putting up numbers makes you a bust. he was putting up great numbers. Greg is a PHYSICAL SPECIMEN! He has a 75% to 80% chance of full recovery. his first microfracture knee is stronger than ever, and as will his next knee be. KENYON MARTIN proved that you can come back from two micro surgeries. Kenyon was looking great. imagine a man child like Greg, if he wants to be a superstar… it’s up too him. it’s mental not physical. Oden can come back, and if he does.. it’s because he found his love for the game, and in that case… Oden has the potential to be a top 3 center in the NBA. guranteed.

Like Grant Hill and Antonio McDyess, Oden will be a good strong role player in years to come. and maybe, just MAYBE one day Oden will maintain his health long enough to still reach that top star potential like Bill Walton did.

I know Hill and McDyess were stars in their healthy prime, but had Oden stayed healthy last year he would’ve had a breakout season as well and make himself look worthy of being a top pick.

Many NBA players made many more than 20Mil … and blew them all away.
Lets hope Greg was just ‘unlucky’ staying fit but not stupid with his money, for one can live comfortably the rest of his life with that kinda dough EVEN if his ‘luck’ with injuries does not change. If, however, he was foolish with his money than luck has nothing to do with it. Don’t feel sorry for him.

Anybody here saying that Greg Oden had nothing going for him but size either hasn’t watched him much when healthy or knows nothing about basketball. He’s more athletic than just about any 7 footer I’ve ever seen when he’s healthy, with the exception of Shaq. There was nobody saying he would ever be a dominant force on offense, only on defense. In the time he played he showed that he could change a game by playing defense and rebounding the ball, even though he never really played enough to become accustomed to the NBA game. Hopefully he can get healthy and stay healthy so he can help some team down the road.

give the poor guy a break. We would call michael jordan a bust too if he had his first four seasons like this. The bulls would have traded him and then find out his true potential after they traded him. nOTHING IS PROVEN YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oden will be a great player in the future … . but i dont think the blazers fans want to wait around much longer .. . if i was the manger i would say move on . .start fresh you got some pieces in mattews , batum . marcus . .. . . . . . what im really trying to say is i think its time to trade . ..

Clearly u never saw him in college, with is defense taking his Buckeyes team all the way to championship game in his 1st (and only) season of college ball. He is an outstanding defensive player, the sort of center every team could do with if he is healthy. It has never been a question of his talent, just his ability to remain healthy. It sounds like he needs to take full 12 months off, maybe even 2 years to make sure that his whole body is healthy. He may have been placing too much pressure on his other knee while he was rehabbing the original injured knee. Either way, dont question his talent. Good luck in coming back Greg, wherever that may be.

im the exact same age as oden. ive been playing basketball. been doing hard labor for a temp agency called labor ready for atleast a year. and i never had one knee surgery. oden must not be following good practicies in hia work outs and eating, and sleeping, and stretching.

Next year he will only be the same age as a gig man who spent all four years in college. Does know the leauge sotime is on his side. All in all , might be like getting another lottery for some one. Imadgine him with tiem to heal whilst looking and learning from the bigs in Boston and teaming with Rondo or maybe fillinga hole in South Beach. might be a good swap for Miami if Bosh continues to stink it up-Just saying

He’s still a work in progress although he’s faced so many injuries…i don’t think he will ever reach the potential he was once given, but he can certainly be a great role player on some team one day. Maybe some time in the D-League or even playing over seas for a season or two will help him out

Oden’s not necessarily a bust because he hasn’t really played enough to establish any identity to his game. Who really knows if this guy would have or could have been good, great, or a bust. He’s been in the league 4 years and has never made it past even a quarter of a season. It’s unfortunate for him, the Blazers, and the fans and I wish him well but under NO circumstances do I feel sorry for someone who has made over $20 Million dollars riding the bench. Injured or not…

EUROLEAGUE SUITS HIM VERY WELL. I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD OPTION FOR A EUROPEAN CLUB. THE SHEDULE IS LIGHTER THAN NBA AND I THINK THAT HE COULD BE A DOMINATING PLAYER. IF OLYMPIAKOS(WHO I SUPPORT) COULD OFFER A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT FOR CRAIG, ITHINK THAT HE WOULD BE UNSTOPABLE AT CENTER WITH BOUROUSIS AND NESTEROVIC.DON’T FORGET THAT HE TOOK VUJCIC FROM MACCABI WHO SUFFERED FROM SERIOUS INJURIES AND SUCCEDED IN MAKING HIM A TRUSTWORTHY AND COUNTABLE PLAYER.

Hate to break you the news J1mmy, but the physiological aspect of Oden’t knee isn’t going to be any different in Europe. His problem isn’t his talent or anything silly like that. His problem is being able to stay on the floor. If the NBA played a lighter 35 games a season it wouldn’t matter.

I agree that he is done in Portland but i think like many he will join Miami because Miami need a good center, if healthy, Oden is a force that can define a franchise or even take it to another level. It’s to bad they will dump him like trash but mark my words, they gonna regret it, just as same as when the Hornets trade Kobe to Lakers for Divac. Don’t forget, he is not 25 or 26 like most NBA stars, he’s 22 and have time to develop. He needs a chance to show himself. I believe that Portland is gonna make a mistake, on the other hand, they waited 4 years. It’s gonna be really dificult to trade Oden but i think Riley would do a good job to sign him and take patients to get him healthy and then i believe Miami gonna win for many years. MARK MY WORDS PLAYER

Sending Greg Oden elsewhere would be a good move for the Trail Blazers. It not only makes good basketball-sense but also good business -sense. They’ve spent too much on a player who’s not durable enough to play in the NBA.

It’s pretty bad that this Portland team looks more like a hospital recovery room than a basketball team.

alot of teams would have taken Durant over ODEN. Even the Blazers had a hard time with the decision. It was obviosly the wrong one. Even when ODEN played he had no offensive game and averaged more fouls than points.

A devastating blow to a classy organization and a great guy. I really do feel bad for Oden. Anybody who is calling bust needs to get their eyes examined. Obviously, he hasn’t come close to mystifying the league in the way Durant has, but when Oden has been healthy, he has shown flashes of absolute brilliance. I truly do hope he can continue rehabilitating his ailing body and someday become a powerhouse in this league.

We (Portland) cannot give up on Oden!!! We have seen what he can do when healthy. Yes, he hasn’t been healthy very much, but if we let him go and he goes somewhere else and can stay healthy, he will be dominate. After he healed from from his first microfacture surgery, they said that his knee was stronger than it has ever been. Now it is his other knee. If we can say the same for this knee once he heals from this surgey, why would we get rid of him for nothing when he is stronger and more polished than he has ever been. It’ll cost he team some $8-$9 mill. for a qualifying offer…. Yes it is alot of money, but that is one thing that owner Paul Allen has plenty of. PLEASE KEEP GREG ODEN!!!!

“It’s time to battle, not on the court, but in the front office via trade and free agency, where the Blazers have been a non-factor.”

Bringing in Miller, Camby, and Matthews and signing Millsap to an offer sheet in the last two years could hardly be described as being a “non-factor” in free agency and trade.

While the idea of Portland fighting and competing for a title this season is nice at first glance, it’s not possible. Not with teams like LA and Utah in the West, and trading Oden wouldn’t bring much of anything in return. It certainly wouldn’t bring enough to make them a championship contender.

If Portland can’t get much in return for Oden, why not resign him for a minimal amount of money and put themselves in a low-risk, high-reward scenario?

Remember Bo Jackson? Some people are just too big or strong for their bodies. I don’t thing Oden’s body will ever be able to to deal with his size and strength. Nutrition as a child may have been lacking or he may just not have proper biology. Portland fans, learn to live with it. He can not make his body do what he asks of it.

this is one of the saddest stories in basketball….I watched oden in college and he was an absolute beast. Had he been healthy, then he would have been in a beast in the NBA, and who knows maybe he still will. I hope he will. Hell if grant Hill can find a way after all these years to play a complete season, than maybe Greg Oden can too.

the thing that makes it so tragic is that the Blazers past on Durant….honestly I think every franchise would have picked Oden over Durant, because Durant seamed like a skinny kid who wouldn’t be able to handle the NBA like he did in college. And Oden, like Duncan, had championships written all over him. It’s just so tragic that he’s extremely fragile because his upside if he can stay healthy is huge. Hopefully another team will give him a shot. Heck I wouldn’t mind my Jazz giving him a shot a few years down the road.

the blazers are the worst team in the leage draft wise.let me make my point,they passed on jordan,that alone is the biggest “F” up in draft history,in the 05 draft they could have drafted david lee,danny granger or monta ellis,so could have other teams but you get the point.then in 06 when they drafted roy and Aldridge (finely jod good btw) but they could have goten rudy gay or rondo (just sayin).then when they drafted oden in 07 they could have goten DURANT the leage leader in points or mike conly jr,or maybe rodny stucky?how about aaron brooks? oh and then they wouldnt have problems at the point gourd positon (again just sayin).09 they got nothing (Víctor Claver) but there wasnt much to chose from.now lets go back to 2002 they could have drafted Tayshaun Prince.or boozer.in 01 they drafted Zach Randolph goog one i geuss,but they could have had Gerald Wallace or tony parker,well thats just this decade form the top of my head so you get the point.im not saying there a bad team and you dont have to argee with anything (but this is just what they could habe done not my opinion or anything) just saying maybe the blazers should invest in better scouts or something cus that right there is not a good track recored (just sayin) anyways thanks for your time peace.

Agree totally! When will they learn? Heck, just learn this one lesson: DONT DRAFT A BIG MAN WHEN YOU HAVE A HIGH SCORING GUARD/FORWARD YOU CAN PICK.

They won’t be as injury prone, they will generate more buzz and ticket sales due to scoring being more exciting, and have more exciting plays. Plus, with Oden specifically, you can tell he is just not as much fun as Durant for crying out loud. Don’t draft a damn sourpuss, 20-years older-looking-than-he-is, injury-prone, big-headed, flat-footed big guy when you can get someone like Durant!

Yeah and like 20 teams could have drafted stockton to? Amare was like number 6 in 02, most guys ahead of him aren’t even in the NBA anymore.
Its the easiest thing ever to look back and say what people did wrong. I actually think the blazers have done a pretty good job drafting. Randolph is a 20-10 guy, Prizbilla is solid, Roy and aldridge are solid(I mean look at what they traded them for: Foy and tyrus thomas), sure webster and telfair didn’t plan out exactly but they are both still in the NBA along with jarret jack and travis outlaw.

I really hope the blazers keep oden, because we know he has potential, this isn¨t kwame brown or olowakandi we¨re talking about. This guy broke his freaking kneecap. And why is everybody so sure the sonics would have picked durant if they had no 1? Oden was a monster prospect in college, just look at his body!

The average NBA career is like 4 years so if you stick around longer then that you are actually a success.

Who do u think u r, Stuart Scott? Enough with the “just sayin” calls. Every team in the NBA can go through previous drafts and realise that they didnt get the best players from that draft, not just Portland. Some of the guys that u noted were drafted in the teens or higher, and would never have been taken with the No 1 pick, so some of these examples show how little u know about drafting yourself, so dont be so quick to criticize, and so it certainly wasnt just Portland that missed out. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but to rag on a team because they picked Oden over Durant 4 years after the fact is just dumb. With Roy they already had their perimeter scorer, just like they did so long ago where they already had Drexler. You might be able to get bums on seats with scorers, but defence wins rings, and that is always what Oden offered. Anyone who was callin Oden the next Shaq didnt understand basketball.
All the best Greg in your recovery. Remember how much Big Z struggled early in his career with foot and leg injuries, and still was able to come back and provide service to his teams.

oden needs to retire. he tried every year and still the same out come. 1-5 games and then BAM. retire and do us all a favor. he getting paid for no reason. if this happens to byum from lakers then he also needs to retire

It’s definitely a bad deal all the way around…$20 Million is a large sum. If he lives within his means Greg is set for life and then some. I know the guy wants to play basketball, but from what I saw he didn’t have much more than size going for him. I saw nothing in the way of any post moves and he really didn’t seem that athletic. If he doesn’t vastly improve his game(if he can get healthy) he’s another Tyson Chandler at best. Not the next Shaq. I’m not saying that he can’t get better – I hope he does. I’m just saying that he’s light years away from where he needs to be.

I feel the same way,watching him dominate? in college is a total diffrent animal then coming to the pros and making the impact everyone expected him to make was reaching a little (maybe a lot) if you ask me. Just watching him on the bench sometimes he seem to be in a daze or looking confused. Size but not much else that I could see.

Greg Oden is no different than andrew bynum at this point. If they both could ever stay healthy theyd improve their team dramatically. The only reason the lakers stay with bynum is because Gasol and Odom are making up the difference, giving Bynum a cushion to recover. Oden dosent have that and if Portland dosent bring somebody else in to compliment Roy, they’re going to miss out on being a contender.

This is simply a case of injury hurting a player’s career. That is all. It has happened to others before Oden and will happen to some in the future. If Portland bails on this situation, they will be the ones to lose in the long run. But, I have seen more than a few owners of pro franchises do exactly that. I have not read this article because I don’t think it’s worth reading. Too many sports writers that have never played the game have far too much “LIP” to display when it comes to Mr. Greg Oden. I don’t think he’s a “bust”. When his body is properly healed this guy will be the “aircraft carrier” in the paint that some NBA team needs. So, if Portland bails on his prospects in the league (and on their team), so be it. Someone else will pick him up off waivers or give him a chance at training camp once he is properly healed and healthy.

Mark my word. The Blazers won’t sign him. He’ll become a free agent. Miami will pick him up for peanuts, a small gamble at best, and with a chip on his shoulder, he’ll be their missing piece to gain a championship. He won’t be a Shaq, more like a Perkins and will fit right in. Here’s to wishing.

Oden also needs to look to Amare Stoudemire who has had a couple of microfracture knee surgeries and come back strong. Basically don’t rush to get back; lose some weight (so less stress on your knees); do tons of knees strengthening exercises (work it out more than any other muscle); and go to a team where you don’t need to play 40+ minutes each game (in other words have 2 big men on the team).

I feel so bad for him, and i think any team in the draft woulda picked greg, because talented 7 footers dont show up everyday and it’s hard to find a talent like greg used to be. I’m a Longhornes fan so i was obviously rootin for KD but Oden was a center so it made sence to me

He has YOUTH and MONEY and no one blames him so there is no reason to actually feel SORRY for him.
He’ll get his basketball days back, and if not like i said he still has money (and therefore a pretty good life for someone who got injured and couldn’t work…i’m just saying, if you feel bad for him what about the high school and college prospects who get injured before they are drafted?)

As for the portland trail blazers, i know quite a few blazers fans today and i don’t mean to sound sarcastic but i really didn’t expect anyone to root for them… but it seems like a good deal of people do so as long as the fans keep the team alive, it’ll bounce back to competitive levels in no time…

The cup might not have been as full as they’d wanted, but it’s not all empty…

For all you people who think greg is a bust…think again!! We have seen his potential and if he was 100& percent healthy he would be a force in the league…calling someone a bust based on injury is absurd…yes injuries are a part of the game, but something that cannot be controlled…..Being a bust is someone who doesn’t put the amount of work and time in and becoming the player he’s capable of

Calling him a bust isn’t based solely on the injury. If he had put in the work and time, maybe he’d have some foot-work in the post or a baby-hook that doesn’t hit the front of the rim. C’mon if any one of us were seven foot we could do what he does in a game just by putting in a little effort to be in shape.

Not sure I understand all of the sympathy here. This man got paid $20 million and spent most of it on the bench. How many of you are going to see even a million dollars in your lifetime, let alone $20 million in a few years? And he didn’t even do anything!

I would say that his unluckiness in terms of injuries is trumped by his luckiness of being born with the kind of athletic potential that earned him the $20 million.

Blazers need to cut their losses and move on. Invest in a center that isn’t made of glass, and maybe they can actually do something in this league.

I still believe in your potential Greg, I watched you played in College. Since then, I can see the mix of “the admiral” and “the dream”. Goodluck Greg! show them your skills and potential. Be a future hall of famer with multiple rings! I still believe man.

I wish you the best oden… I say leave portland behind i bet you the fans dont want you anymore but if i was a GM of anyother team I would take my chance on him even if he isnt going to be this huge dominant post player i hope that from this experienced he is humbled and when he comes back I hope he does he can be a positive influence on young players not to get ahead of them selves and not take anything for granted…

I WISH YOU WELL WITH SURGERY AND RECOVERY GREG! come play for the RAPTORS next year! we need a big man

I just wish him well, and hope when he’s healthy my bulls can get him at a low price for say 3 years then if he’s healthy thru that period of time, get him a check he truly deservers. Meanwhile, enjoy success along and get a few more rings we desperately need.

dude we dont need hi we have all we need now everyone here is feeling bad for him he got paid more in 4 years for 82 games then you will prob make in your life I don’t feel bad for him just hope he can one day make a full recovery then he can have a chance to actually be a bust or not!!

I feel bad for the big man…..I wish things were different for him. He is a hard worker and I still remember first seeing him in his college days and thinking, that’s another Shaq right there. Life gave him talent and took away strong body from him. Sad indeed!

Blazers are doing great job in supporting him but they will have to let him go.

man that’s kind of harsh. i wouldnt call him a bust. injury prone yes but a bust. he havent spent enuff time on the court 2 b a bust. kwame brown, olowokandi were bust. there production had nuthin to do with injury. they just didnt deserve to a top pick. hopefully when he come back he can stay healthy with who ever he plays for

He could be the next Grant Hill- quietly goes about rehabbing, turns up at a couple of teams before settling somewhere and giving good minutes in a reduced capacity, with occasional glimpses of what could have been. Its a pity but such is life. So lonmg as Portland act with class and he gets some sort of healthy, maybe everyone wins

Everyones does this twitter thing in American. It’s big out there for some reason. But majority of the world does facebook… twitter suck balls and myspace is just the same, in my opinion. maybe i be back here saying different couple month from now